Patterson's Trophy Case 2008 and 2002 Big 12 Coach of the Year 2008 and 2004 Big 12 Conference Champions 2008, 2003 and 2002 WBCA District V Coach of the Year 2008, 2003 and 2002 WBCA National Coach of the Year Finalist 2008 Associated Press National Coach of the Year Finalist 2005, 2003 and 2002 Naismith National Coach of the Year Finalist 2008 Kansas City Star Big 12 Coach of the Year 2008 Waco Tribune Big 12 Coach of the Year 2008 and 2002 Dallas Morning News Big 12 Coach of the Year 2002 Austin American-Statesman Big 12 Coach of the Year 2002 San Antonio Express News Big 12 Coach of the Year 2001-02 ESPN the Magazine Coach of the Year 2005-06 WNIT Champions 2006-07 WNIT Final Four 2002-03 Preseason WNIT Champions USA Basketball 2000 Junior World Championship Qualifying Team (Gold Medal) USA Basketball 1998 FIBA World Championships (Gold Medal) USA Basketball 1997 World University Games (Gold Medal) 2008, 2002 and 1997 KBCA Women's College Basketball Coach of the Year Received the Kay Yow Heart of a Coach Award in 2012 Named to FCA Hall of Champions in 2011 Inducted into the FCA Coaches Hall of Fame in 2008

Patterson by the Numbers 339 wins at K-State 7 former players reached the WNBA 10 Associated Press All-America selections 5 Academic All-America selections 5 Senior CLASS Award finalists, including a national award winner 2 Big 12 Player of the Year honorees 41 All-Big 12 recipients, including 17 first team honorees 99 Academic All-Big 12 selections, including 81 first team recipients

Deb Patterson, the career wins leader for women's basketball at Kansas State, (339-207, .621), enters her 18th season and will look to continue to mold Kansas State women's basketball into one of the most successful programs in the nation.

Over the past 17 seasons, Patterson has captured the imagination of women's basketball fans across the nation and exceeding the expectations put upon her team by catapulting the Wildcat program into the national spotlight as an annual top-seeded postseason tournament contender, a consistent top-25 nationally ranked program in both major polls and one of the top-25 national leaders in NCAA Division I women's basketball attendance.

During her time in Manhattan, Patterson has directed the program to nine NCAA Tournament appearances, nine 20-win seasons, two Big 12 regular season titles (2004 and 2008) and one postseason WNIT crown (2006). In the history of K-State women's basketball, Patterson is the longest tenured coach and has the most NCAA Tournament appearances and the most 20-win seasons of any of her predecessors.

For her efforts in shaping the Kansas State program over the last 17 seasons, Patterson has garnered a number of honors and awards on the league, regional and national levels. Some of the organizations which have recognized Patterson for her outstanding coaching efforts include: the Russell Athletic/WBCA Region V Coach of the Year (2002, 2003 and 2008), Big 12 Coach of the Year (2002 and 2008), ESPN the Magazine Coach of the Year (2001-02), Kansas Basketball Coaches Association Women's Basketball College Coach of the Year (1997, 2002 and 2008), Kansas City Star Big 12 Coach of the Year (2008), Dallas Morning News Big 12 Coach of the Year (2002 and 2008), the San Antonio Express News Big 12 Coach of the Year (2002), the Austin American-Statesman Big 12 Coach of the Year (2002) and the Waco Tribune Big 12 Coach of the Year (2008).

She has also been a finalist for the WBCA National Coach of the Year honor (2002, 2003 and 2008), a finalist for the Naismith National Coach of the Year (2002) and finished third in the voting for the Associated Press National Coach of the Year Award (2008).

The intensity, determination, and unwavering commitment to excellence that Patterson has demonstrated in directing the program are the same qualities evident in her Wildcat teams and individual players.

From 2002-13, K-State has made 11 postseason appearances with eight NCAA Tournament appearances and three visits to the Postseason WNIT including the first postseason title in the program's history in the 2006 WNIT. In her nine career NCAA Tournament appearances at Kansas State, Patterson has advanced to at least the second round seven times. The Wildcats have also advanced to the semifinals or better in the Big 12 Championships seven times including consecutive semifinal appearances in 2011 and 2012 and four straight semifinal trips from 2002-05.

During the 2002-13 time frame, K-State has recorded nine 20-win seasons which includes a school-record 29 victories in 2002-03. The program also earned its highest national ranking ever in the 2002-03 season, when the Wildcats were ranked No. 2 in both national polls on Nov. 25, 2002.

During the 2010-11 season, Patterson helped the K-State program reach a new historic level in the NCAA record books, as Kansas State became the 13th program in NCAA Division I women's basketball history and the second in the Big 12 to reach the 800-win mark with a 69-64 win at Nebraska on Feb. 19, 2011.

During the 2010-11 season, Patterson helped the K-State program reach a new historic level in the NCAA record books, as Kansas State became the 13th program in NCAA Division I women's basketball history and the second in the Big 12 to reach the 800-win mark with a 69-64 win at Nebraska on Feb. 19, 2011.

Also during that 2010-11 season, Patterson secured the 300th victory of her career at K-State with a win in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Championships over Iowa State on March 9, 2011.

Under Patterson's direction during the 2008-09 season, K-State tallied a 25-8 record and the 11th NCAA Tournament appearance in school history and the eighth straight postseason trip. The final mark of 25-8 included the best unbeaten start in school history, as the Wildcats opened the season 14-0. The Wildcats' also rose to the highest rankings since the 2003-04 season in both the Associated Press (No. 14, Jan. 26) and ESPN/USA Today Coaches' polls (No. 12, Jan. 26).

The 2007-08 season was a testament to the determination and hard work Patterson instills in her team, as the Wildcats captured the second Big 12 regular season title in school history, and the first outright Big 12 crown in the program's history, with a 13-3 league mark. With the title, the Wildcats became the first BCS school in the nation and the first Big 12 basketball program, male or female, to go from worst to first in the span of one season.

In 2003-04, the Wildcats finished 25-6 overall and 14-2 in the Big 12 Conference. Kansas State received the No. 2 seed in the Mideast Region of the 2004 NCAA Tournament, the program's highest ever seed in school history. K-State also claimed a share of the Big 12 regular season title with Texas for its first conference title since 1987.

As a team, K-State finished in the top 15 in eight NCAA statistical categories and tied or reset numerous school records during the regular season. Heading into the 2003-04 slate, K-State was tabbed No. 5 in both preseason national polls, its highest preseason billing ever.

Her teaching and motivation skills were particularly evident in 2001-02 when Kansas State broke through for Patterson's second NCAA Tournament appearance. Patterson led one of the nation's youngest teams to a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament, and to K-State's first Sweet 16 appearance in 19 years.

Remarkably, the successful 2002 Wildcat squad started three freshmen, one sophomore and only one senior. The young Wildcats tied for third place in the Big 12 with an 11-5 record and made the highest debut ever by a women's team in The Associated Press Poll (since ranking 25 teams), while achieving the program's first-ever ranking in the USA TODAY/ESPN Coaches Poll. Kansas State ended the season ranked 10th in the USA TODAY/ESPN Coaches Poll and 11th in the AP Poll.

The achievements of 2001-02 were a culmination of years of commitment, hard work, and persistence by Patterson and her staff. In 1996-97, Patterson embraced the extraordinary challenge of rebuilding a Wildcat program that had been hit by NCAA penalties and probation just months prior to her arrival.

The Wildcat program had not posted a winning record in Big Eight Conference play for five consecutive years prior to her arrival. It did not take long for Patterson to make her mark. In her first year at Kansas State, she guided the Wildcats to the school's first NCAA Tournament bid in 10 years and to the championship game of the Big 12 Tournament. In 1998-99, she led K-State to its first-ever WNIT appearance.

Patterson has mentored numerous players to national recognition and success, most notably, Nicole Ohlde, Kendra Wecker, Laurie Koehn, Shalee Lehning, Ashley Sweat and Brittany Chambers. She has seen 40 of her student-athletes earn All-Big 12 honors including 17 first team citations, three Big 12 Player of the Year Awards and one Big 12 Freshman of the Year.

Wecker, Ohlde, Chambers, Sweat and Koehn are the top-five all-time leading scorers in school history, while Lehning ranks first in school history for career assists. Patterson has had seven former players enjoy playing careers in the WNBA, with Ohlde (Phoenix Mercury) and Lehning (Atlanta Dream) playing in the WNBA Finals.

From 2002-2005, a Wildcat was named Big 12 Player of the Year, Kodak All-American, first team All-American, first team all-conference and a top finalist for some of the nation's most coveted awards including the Wade Trophy, Naismith Trophy, Honda, John R. Wooden and NCAA Woman of the Year Awards.

In 2003-04, Ohlde and Wecker, both National Player of the Year finalists, received first team and third team All-America honors by the AP, respectively. Ohlde was later drafted sixth overall by the Minnesota Lynx in the 2004 WNBA Draft, a draft class tabbed as one of the deepest and most talented classes in league history. Ohlde finished her career as a two-time first team All-American and three-time first team All-Big 12 selection. She collected Big 12 Freshman of the Year honors in 2000-01 and was a third team All-Big 12 selection that same year.

Ohlde, one of the most decorated players in the program's history, was honored twice as a Kodak/WBCA All-American and Big 12 Conference Player of the Year in 2003 and 2004. Wecker followed in Ohlde's footsteps having been named a Kodak/WBCA All-American and Big 12 Conference Player of the Year in 2005. Wecker broke nearly every school record previously held by Ohlde, including the distinction of becoming the school's all-time leading scorer (2,333) and rebounder (1,087). Her career scoring mark is fifth in the Big 12 and she is one of only six players in league history to have recorded 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds in a career. Both Wildcats are two of five women's basketball players in the program's history to have their jerseys retired in the rafters of Bramlage Coliseum.

Wecker was named a consensus first team All-American by The Associated Press, Kodak/WBCA and USBWA in 2004-05. She was also selected as the national winner of the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award. Wecker was drafted fourth overall by the San Antonio Silver Stars in the 2005 WNBA Draft and was the highest-ever draft pick in the program's history.

Koehn, a two-time second team All-Big 12 standout, left her mark in NCAA history as the all-time leader in career three-pointers made (392). She holds the school and conference records for career three-pointers made and three-pointers attempted. Koehn and Wecker became the first freshmen teammates in Big 12 history to be named third team all-conference in 2001-02.

Off the court, Koehn was the first women's basketball player in school history to be named a first team CoSIDA Academic All-American in 2004 and earned second team honors in 2005. Koehn played with the Washington Mystics for four seasons (2005-08) and was the WNBA's Three-Point Shootout champion at the 2007 WNBA All Star Game.

After the departure of "The Big Three," Patterson continued to mentor solid student-athletes, as she advised AP All-America honorable mention selection, Lowe's Senior All-American first team choice and CoSIDA/ESPN the Magazine Academic All-America third team honoree, Shalee Lehning.

Lehning, a 2009 All-Big 12 first team selection, finished her career as the first player in Big 12 history to record 1,000 points (1,189), 900 rebounds (914) and 800 assists (800). Her career assist total ranks first in school history and second in Big 12 history, while her rebounding total ranks fourth in school history and her point total ranks 21st.

In her career, Lehning set the school and Big 12 record for career triple-doubles (5) and triple-doubles in a season (3). Following her final season in a Wildcat uniform, Lehning became the fifth women's basketball player in school history to have her jersey retired. She was also selected by the Atlanta Dream in the second round of the 2009 WNBA Draft and enjoyed a three year career with the Dream that included three playoff appearances and two trips to the WNBA Finals. Sweat garnered Lowe's Senior CLASS first team All-America honors and CoSIDA/ESPN the Magazine Academic All-America third team honors at the end of her senior season in 2010. She also tallied All-Big 12 first team honors from the league's coaches and was named to the Dallas Morning News All-Big 12 second team. To go along with her honors, Sweat finished her career third in school history in career points with 1,805 and became the third player in school history with 1,800 points, 600 rebounds and 70 blocks.

Chambers registered one of the most historic individual seasons in school history, as she capped a stellar four-year career by breaking numerous school records includin points in a season (778) and points in a game (42). She became the first player in school and Big 12 history to register 750 or more points, 250 or more rebounds and 100 or more assists in a season while earning honorable mention All-American honors from the Associated Press and second team honors from the Senior CLASS Award. Chambers concluded her career as the third player in school history with 2,000 points (2,156), finished fifth for career rebounds (862) and eighth for career assists (363).

In the Deb Patterson era, Kansas State has enjoyed one of the most exciting home court environments within the confines of Bramlage Coliseum in the nation. The Wildcats have enjoyed a record of 180-56 (.763) inside Bramlage under Patterson's watchful eye, including a 104-11 (.904) mark against non-conference opponents.

When she took over the reins of the program in 1996-97, Patterson had a dream of one day filling Bramlage Coliseum for a women's basketball game. On Jan. 12, 2002, this dream was realized when a school benchmark was set with a 13,466 streamed into Bramlage for the first sellout in the program's history. In total during her tenure, Patterson has coached in front of nine sellouts in Bramlage Coliseum, including a crowd of 12,528 on Feb. 4, 2012 against No. 1 ranked Baylor. The top-20 largest single-game crowds in Bramlage Coliseum history to view a women's basketball game have all occurred during Patterson's time with the Wildcats. For their attendance efforts over the last two seasons, K-State has been recognized as the Big 12 Conference's "Pack the House" champion by the NCAA in 2011 and 2012.

In 11 of the last 12 seasons, the Wildcats have finished in the top 35 for attendance nationally among NCAA Division I schools. The Wildcats finished among the top-10 in 2001-02 (7th), 2002-03 (6th), 2003-04 (8th) and 2004-05 (8th). The 2003-04 edition set the school record for average attendance in a season with 9,365 fans per game.

During her 17 seasons on the sidelines for K-State, Patterson has coached in front of 1,277,853 in Bramlage Coliseum for an average of 5,031 fans per game. The top 10 largest single season crowds in school history have occurred in the Patterson Era.

In addition to outstanding play on the court, Patterson's teams also have a sterling reputation in the classroom. Since the inception of the Big 12 in the 1996-97 season, the Wildcats have placed a league-high 99 student-athletes on the Academic All-Big 12 first and second teams. K-State has also been recognized nationally for their focus on the books with five Academic All-America selections, five Lowe's Senior CLASS Award finalists including one national winner, 18 CoSIDA Academic All-District VII honorees and five appearances in the WBCA Academic Top-25 Team Honor Roll (1998, 1999, 2003, 2008 and 2009).

Off the court, Patterson has been recognized by numerous organizations for her leadership skills during her time in Manhattan. In 2012, she was the fifth recipient of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes' (FCA) Kay Yow Heart of a Coach Award which was presented to her at the 2012 NCAA Final Four. In 2008, she was named to the FCA Coaches' Hall of Fame.

She has also garnered the 2001 Outstanding Leadership Award from Kansas State's Leadership Studies and Programs and has also been recognized as a "Champion of Diversity." Patterson was also named an honorary Colonel for the Kansas State University Army ROTC and as Honorary Commander for the Kansas State University Air Force ROTC.

In the community, she is an active member of the advisory committee for the Coronado Area Council, Boy Scouts of America and Manhattan Young Life.

Patterson's coaching excellence has also been proven on the international basketball scene. While working to build K-State into a national power, she served as an assistant coach for three gold-medal winning USA Basketball teams, including the 2000 Junior World Championship Qualifying Team, the 1998 World Championship Team and the 1997 World University Games Team. In the summer of 2000 as an assistant coach, Patterson joined head coach Geno Auriemma (University of Connecticut) and assistant Ed Baldwin in guiding the 2000 USA Basketball Women's Junior World Championship Qualifying Team to a 5-0 record and a gold medal.

In 1999, she helped the United States Senior National team capture the gold medal at the FIBA World Championships in Germany as an assistant coach on Nell Fortner's (Auburn University) staff. The United States women posted an unblemished 9-0 record to clinch their third title in the last four FIBA World Championships and sixth overall. In the championship game on June 7 in Berlin, Germany, the U.S. overcame a 12-point deficit in the game's last minutes to earn a 71-65 victory over Russia and win the gold medal.

During the summer of 1997, Patterson traveled to Trapani, Sicily, with the World University Games Team, along with head coach and former mentor Jim Foster (Ohio State) and assistant Ed Baldwin. In September 1997, Patterson assisted Fortner along the sidelines during the USA Invitational Tournament in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Patterson came to K-State as a proven winner. In her 10 years as a Division I assistant coach, she contributed to eight consecutive 20-win seasons for three different programs (Vanderbilt, Southern Illinois and Northern Illinois). During her four seasons as the top assistant coach and recruiting coordinator on the Vanderbilt staff, she helped the Commodores to a 106-26 record (.803), including four-straight seasons with at least 23 victories. In 1992-93, Vanderbilt posted a 30-3 record, won the SEC Tournament title and advanced to the NCAA Final Four. In 1993-94, Vanderbilt recorded a 25-8 record and reached the NCAA Sweet Sixteen. During Patterson's third year on the staff, Vandy again won the SEC Tournament title and reached the NCAA Sweet Sixteen with a final mark of 29-7. The Commodores reached the NCAA Elite Eight and finished 1995-96 with a 23-8 record.

Prior to her four seasons at Vanderbilt, Patterson spent the 1991-92 season as an assistant coach at Southern Illinois, where the Salukis posted a 20-5 record and reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

From 1988-91, she was an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Northern Illinois, where she was part of three consecutive 20-win seasons and a trip to the NCAA Tournament in 1990.

Patterson began her coaching career in 1983 as the head basketball coach at Rockton Hononegah (Ill.) High School, where she rebuilt a program with an 0-22 record before her arrival to a 21-2 mark in just four years. She was named the Illinois High School Association Coach of the Year in 1985 and back-to-back conference coach of the year in 1985 and 1986. In 1986-87, she accepted her first job on the collegiate level as a part-time assistant coach at Northern Illinois.

A native of Rockford, Ill., Patterson graduated from Rockford College, where she was a two-time student-athlete of the year and a President's Scholar in 1979. She is a member of the Rockford College Hall of Fame after starring in basketball and field hockey from 1975-79.